US 10,856,224 B2Granted

Method and system for enabling discontinuous reception (DRX) over an unlicensed band in cellular networks

AssigneeSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

InventorsAnshuman Nigam, Anil Agiwal, Ashok Kumar Reddy Chavva, Nagacharan Udupi, Jung-Soo Jung

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Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a pre-5th-Generation (5G) or 5G communication system to be provided for supporting higher data rates beyond 4th-Generation (4G) communication system such as a Long Term Evolution (LTE). The present disclosure provides a method and system for enabling discontinuous reception (DRX) over an unlicensed band in cellular networks. In one embodiment, the method comprises of monitoring, by a user equipment (UE), an unlicensed channel at a pre-configured on period of a DRX cycle, wherein the UE wakes up during a DRX on period and sleeps during DRX off period, receiving an indication of extension of the DRX on period from an associated evolved node B (eNB) when the associated eNB is unable to acquire an unlicensed channel during a DRX on period of the licensed channel and continuously monitoring the unlicensed band for the extended DRX on period. The time period for extension of the DRX on period of the unlicensed channel is selected from a set of pre-specified extension values. The present disclosure further enables the UE to terminate monitoring of the DRX on period of the unlicensed channel upon receiving a stop monitoring indication from the associated eNB.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A method for enabling discontinuous reception (DRX) over an unlicensed band by a user equipment (UE), the method comprising:

monitoring an unlicensed channel during a pre-configured DRX on period of a DRX cycle that comprises the pre-configured DRX on period and a pre-configured DRX off period, wherein the UE wakes up during the pre-configured DRX on period and sleeps during the pre-configured DRX off period;
receiving an indication for extension of the pre-configured DRX on period through a licensed channel from a base station, wherein the indication for the extension is transmitted from the base station based on the base station being unable to acquire the unlicensed channel during the pre-configured DRX on period and being unaware of a channel occupancy of the unlicensed channel;
monitoring the unlicensed channel during an extended DRX on period in response to receiving the indication for extension of the pre-configured DRX on period;
receiving an indication for shifting of the pre-configured DRX on period through the licensed channel from a base station, wherein the indication for the shifting includes information about a remaining time duration of the channel occupancy of the unlicensed channel, and the indication for the shifting is transmitted from the base station based on the base station being unable to acquire the unlicensed channel during the pre-configured DRX on period and being aware of the channel occupancy of the unlicensed channel;
and
shifting the pre-configured DRX on period by the remaining time duration and monitoring the unlicensed channel during a shifted DRX on period in response to receiving the indication for shifting of the pre-configured DRX on period,
wherein the indication for the extension comprises a time period of the extension, the time period being determined based on information associated with channel status, and
wherein a start of the pre-configured DRX on period of the unlicensed channel is synchronized with a start of a pre-configured DRX on period of the licensed channel.

5 more elements

A user equipment (UE), comprising:

a transceiver;
and
at least one processor configured to:
monitor an unlicensed channel during a pre-configured DRX on period of a discontinuous reception (DRX) cycle that comprises the pre-configured DRX on period and a pre-configured DRX off period, wherein the UE wakes up during the pre-configured DRX on period and sleeps during the pre-configured DRX off period;
control the transceiver to receive an indication for extension of the pre-configured DRX on period through a licensed channel from a base station, wherein the indication for the extension is transmitted from the base station based on the base station being unable to acquire the unlicensed channel during the pre-configured DRX on period and being unaware of a channel occupancy of the unlicensed channel;
and
monitor the unlicensed channel during an extended DRX on period in response to receiving the indication for extension of the pre-configured DRX on period;
control the transceiver to receive an indication for shifting of the pre-configured DRX on period through the licensed channel from a base station, wherein the indication for the shifting includes information about a remaining time duration of the channel occupancy of the unlicensed channel, and the indication for the shifting is transmitted from the base station based on the base station being unable to acquire the unlicensed channel during the pre-configured DRX on period and being aware of the channel occupancy of the unlicensed channel;
and
shift the pre-configured DRX on period by the remaining time duration and monitor the unlicensed channel during a shifted DRX on period in response to receiving the indication for the shifting of the pre-configured DRX on period,
wherein the indication for the extension comprises a time period of the extension, the time period being determined based on information associated with channel status, and
wherein a start of the pre-configured DRX on period of the unlicensed channel is synchronized with a start of a pre-configured DRX on period of the licensed channel.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/524,978Filed 6 Nov 2015
Priority: IN 5594/CHE/20146 Nov 2014
Published: US 2017/0339641 A123 Nov 2017
Granted: 1 Dec 2020
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification13 codes

H04W 52/0229
Using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal: where the received signal is a wanted signal
H04L 5/0096
Signalling for the administration of the divided path, e.g. signalling of configuration information: indication of changes in allocation
H04W 16/14
Network planning, e.g. coverage or traffic planning tools; Network deployment, e.g. resource partitioning or cells structures: spectrum sharing…
H04W 52/0216
Managed by the network, e.g. network or access point is leader and terminal is follower: using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic…